1
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
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2
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a wretched lie
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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
lived alone in a wretched room in a run-down hotel
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
a wretched attempt at writing an original song
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5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
she was wretched for weeks after breaking up with her boyfriend
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6
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
his wretched treatment of women earned him a bad reputation
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7
as in cheap
of low quality
wretched goods that aren't even worth half of what the store is charging for them
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8
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
those wretched souls who cannot even afford a decent roof over their heads
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9
as in miserable
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the pampered socialite complained that the only room available was in a wretched little motel by the highway
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wretched
Sullivan has run a refreshing offseason, considering his wretched inheritance.
—
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, Shinia is being given the business by Miranda, who has been put in a truly wretched position.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Injuries should have derailed the Warriors’ chances of making the postseason, but ninth-seeded Golden State is all but guaranteed to make the play-in regardless of how wretched the rest of the season goes.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
As with much else in this wretched administration, the initial refusal to review Moderna’s vaccine was a transparent pretext for officials to pursue political and ideological preferences under the guise of regular government administration.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, Shinia is being given the business by Miranda, who has been put in a truly wretched position.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Injuries should have derailed the Warriors’ chances of making the postseason, but ninth-seeded Golden State is all but guaranteed to make the play-in regardless of how wretched the rest of the season goes.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
As with much else in this wretched administration, the initial refusal to review Moderna’s vaccine was a transparent pretext for officials to pursue political and ideological preferences under the guise of regular government administration.
—The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
-
Residents describe ‘a terrible night’ More than 30 people were injured in the apartment building collapse, while emergency workers rescued 28 residents, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
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And some were not kind to him on social media following the terrible first round.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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There’s a mentality problem — that’s highlighted by a pitiful return of just one point out of a possible 24 away from home this season against teams in the top nine.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Will the harsh weather mean poor growth and pitiful harvests?—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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In other words, the status quo of ed tech is bleak.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
Like its gruesome predecessors, his latest full-length work features adorably designed anthropomorphic animals (and mushrooms) navigating bleak realities and confronting existentialist concerns.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
After wildfires hit Georgia in April 2026 fueled by a rain deficit, high winds and low humidity, — among other causes, per NASA — neighboring states got slammed with poor air quality alerts.—
Ryan Brennan
May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
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However his attitude on health care and taxes places Newsom at odds with advocates for poor Californians who would be affected and their allies in the Legislature, many of whom want a tax increase.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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With the Mets taking a 2-1 lead, Rodón, clearly unhappy, appeared to curse at himself as Austin Wells patted him on the shoulder.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2026
-
Janet reportedly attended an early private screening of the rough cut of the film and walked away pretty unhappy.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The land of the southern hemisphere pulled away from this vile impactor, restructuring itself in the northern hemisphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
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Fleeing Salzburg and his father’s (Jonathan Aris) iron fist and emphasis on perfection, Mozart, armed with his compositions, vile language and impulsivity, is determined to take on the city.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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The reason all of this is happening, probably more than any other, is that clipping is cheap.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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Surprisingly the most expensive hairpiece so far has been Attenborough’s, which Fortune reveals was a hybrid of a cheap £20 ($26) wig at the back combined with tens of man-hours knotting individual strands of hair onto a lace front to create the centenarian’s familiar pate.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Just a pathetic, sad old man who hated the world and spent his days in solitude.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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The man who has been on fire since the Knicks first tipped off against the Atlanta Hawks shot a ghastly — nay, a pathetic — 53 percent from the field.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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